Crispy Oven Baked Fries

Here I show you a few tips and tricks to getting the most delicious baked french fries, which are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. No deep fryer needed!

French fries, chips, whatever you call them, can we all rejoice in saying how much we love them? 🙌 Okay good. Well, what if I told you that you can get truly crispy and delicious fries without touching a deep fat fryer? Follow me…

Extra Crispy Baked Fries

So maybe you’ve tried it – slice up some potatoes, coat in a little oil, pop them in the oven and when you take them out they’re limp and soggy? Yep, we’ve all been there.

But fear not. There’s hope!

There’s a few tricks to ensuring your fries come out crispy, and the first starts with the potato itself.

How to cut potatoes for home fries

You want them sliced skinny. Obviously the skinnier they are the crisper they’ll be, but 1/4″ is what you’re aiming for. To do this I first slice the potato into 1/4″ discs, and then slice those discs into 1/4″ fries. I always keep the skin on for extra flavours and less hassle.

Next up, soaking the fries in cold water.

Why soak potatoes before baking?

Potatoes are packed full of starch, which when subjected to intense heat makes the potatoes go gloopy. Because we want fries that are fluffy in the centre, we want to remove as much starch as possible before we bake them. The best way to do this is to blanch them in cold water. 30 minutes will do the trick, but the longer the better.

After, drain the fries and we’ll continue.

Once drained, make sure you completely dry them. Any water lurking on the fries will increase the chance of them steaming instead of baking, which in turn will increase the chance of them being soggy. Next up, seasoning.

French fry seasoning

There’s so many different variations of seasoning, but personally I love the combination of rosemary, garlic and salt. I use garlic powder as it’s less likely to burn than raw garlic, I also add the rosemary half way through the cooking process for the same reason.

What oil to use when baking fries?

Step away from the olive oil. It can’t take the heat (literally). You want to roast your fries at a high temp and olive will simply smoke up. I always use vegetable oil as it’s relatively flavourless and has a much higher smoking point. Sunflower oil & Canola oil always work well.

How to bake fries

Firstly ensure the tray is piping hot, just to get the party started and so they begin crisping up right from the get go.

Make sure you spread them out. If you cram them all together they’ll steam instead of roast. Use 2 trays if needed.

Bake at 220c/430f for 15mins, take them out and flip, then bake again for another 10-15mins, or until golden and crispy.

And breathe. We’re there.

Although it seems like a lot of fuss, it’s totally worth it. Just a couple of things for the ‘aftercare’

Dips for fries

Also just FYI I’m ‘that guy’ who has mayo and ketchup side by side. Judge me as necessary 😂

Can you freeze homemade fries?

You absolutely can yes. Just pop them in a zip lock bag and chuck them in the freezer. When reheating, place them in the oven at a slightly lower temp for a little less time. I find 200c/390f for 15-20mins (depending on size) works well.

How to make Crispy Oven Baked Fries (Full Recipe & Video)

Here I show you a few tips and tricks to getting the most delicious baked french fries, which are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. No deep fryer needed!

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: Crispy Oven Baked Fries

Servings: 4

Calories: 210kcal

Author: Chris

Ingredients

3 large (approx 1.6lb/750g)Russets or Maris Pipers

2tbspVegetable Oil

1tspGarlic Powder

2 sprigs (approx 1 heaped tsp)Fresh Rosemary, very finely diced

1/2tspSalt, or to taste

Black Pepper, to taste

Method

Slice your potatoes into discs, then slice those discs into fries. You’re aiming to get them around 1/4” thick.

Soak them in a bowl of cold water for at least 30mins, or as long as you have time for. This is important to remove starch, which will result in the fries having a fluffier centre. Meanwhile, place an oven tray (or two) in the oven at 220c/430f to get nice and hot.

Drain and thoroughly dry the fries. Any moisture left on the potato will increase the likelihood of them coming out soggy. Combine with oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, then spread out on your oven tray(s). It’s important to spread them out otherwise they will steam and never get crispy. Again, make sure the tray is piping hot when you do this.

Place in the oven for 15mins, then take out and sprinkle with rosemary. Coat and flip the fries, then place back in the oven for another 10-15mins or until golden and crispy. Timing will depend on the thickness of your fries, how many are on the tray and how hot you maintain the oven. Just be vigilant after placing them in the oven the 2nd time.

Serve with an extra sprinkle of salt to pull out any remaining moisture!

Watch how to make it!

Recipe Notes

a) To determine if you'll need more than one tray, I usually place them on a tray after I've cut them just to test how much room there will be.

b) You can absolutely freeze these after they're cooked if you wanted. Just let them cool down and pop them in a zip lock bag and chuck in the freezer until the next craving hits. To reheat, pop them back in the oven at 200c/390f for 15-20mins or until crispy again.

c) Calories based on using Russet potatoes and sharing between 4 people

If you loved this Baked French Fries Recipe then be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!

Hey, I'm Chris! Thanks for stopping by. I believe that good food should bring a smile to your face and hug your soul with every bite. Here you'll find fun and delicious comfort food that even the most beginner of home cook can master. More from me? Just click the pic!